The Raiders may have just two wins this season and be on a four-game losing streak, but the mood in the squad is that they're not far from a breakthrough.
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They just need to play a complete 80-minute performance.
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart was pleased with his side's performance against the Panthers for 55 minutes last week, calling it their "best football this season", despite the 30-point loss.
'Close but no cigar' appears to be the frustrating consensus each week the Raiders chalk up a defeat.
Second-rower Hudson Young said it's the "mental" side of things where Canberra stumble, as evidenced in Penrith where they were well in the fight after the first half against the reigning Premiers before their stoic defence crumbled in the back end of the game.
"We were fairly happy with the way that we started, and coming into the break only eight points behind. Just not happy with the last 20," he said.
"It felt like we were back to 'us'. We started to get a bit more line speed and a bit more togetherness within our line, and even in our attack - I thought we were pretty sharp.
"You go into the break, you've got to come out with the same energy as you did in the first half.
"I reckon it's just mental stuff. You've got to start fast otherwise teams will just run straight over you."
Young said the team had spoken in team meetings about putting together two good halves of footy as a focus for their round-eight game against the Warriors, and they're determined to get back into winning form against a side coming off a 60-point thrashing.
"We've got to win this weekend," he said of the fixture at Redcliffe.
"We can't keep falling away and losing games in the second half, so we need to go out and play 80 minutes and then the rest will take care of itself."
Despite the demoralising defeats in recent weeks, Young said the "tight-knit" team is confident of turning around their season, as they currently sit second-last on the NRL ladder.
"We're a tight-knit group. Win or lose we're going to stick together and stay as one," he said.
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